Solar panels are becoming an increasingly efficient and cost-effective way to provide power to private residences, commercial enterprises, and industrial buildings. Homes and businesses that utilize solar panels often place the panels on the roof of the building being powered by the panels. The panels may be parallel with the roof or tilted at an angle, depending on the position of the sun. In colder climates, snowfall can collect and accumulate on the solar panels on a roof in the same manner that snow fall would collect and build up on the bare roof of a home or business without solar panels. Depending on the conditions, the snow may harden or freeze into ice.
As the weather changes, the snow or ice on the solar panels will begin to melt. If the panels rest on a tilted roof, the melting snow or ice may slide off the panels. This falling snow and ice can land on the ground below, causing damage to property positioned below the roof—such as lawn furniture or automobiles—or people who may be standing or walking below the edge of the roof. Ice and snow also tends to melt faster on a solar paneled roof because there is typically a small gap of air between the panels and the roof below, depending on the means used to mount the panels to the roof. Furthermore, because the panels are typically dark glass, they retain heat even when the temperatures are below freezing.